Farm-tractor



4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

J. W. FREEMAN.

FARM TRACTOR.

APPLCATlON FlLED MAY 2, 1918. l

Patented Mar. .22, 1921.

.LV1/.FREEMAN FARM TRACTOR.

APPLlcArloN FILED MAY 2, i918.

Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FARM TRACTUR.

APPLlcATloN FILED MAY2,1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

m n @1E-J m @mmc-11131 @EJE-niit- 5. Wn FREEMAN FARM TRACTOR,

APPLICATION FILED III/Iv2,1918.

IIIIIIIII,I

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH W. FREEMAN, F COLUMBUS, OHIO.

FARM-TRACTOR.

.To alt whomA it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osnrii W. FREEMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Im rovements in Farm-Tractors, of whichthe ollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to farm tractors, and has for its main object toprovide asubstantial, easily controlled and efficient power drivenAvehicle for performing draft duties in connection with agricultural'pursuits.

Another object of the invention is to im'- prove upon and simplifygenerally the construction of tractors of the type set forth, and it isalso particularly directed to certain improvements upon the constructiondisclosed in my prior Patent, Number 1,217,293, issued February 27,191.7.

A further object is to provide a tractor on one side with means forverticall adjusting its steering and driving w eels, whereby when theopposite side of the machine is traveling in a ditch or furrow, the mainframe thereof may be adjusted to maintain its horizontal workingposition, thereby equally distributing the weight of the machine uponproper bearings and to maintain certain of its parts, such as its powerunits, in requisite normal positions calculated to produce the mosteilicient services.

A still further object resides in improving the steering mechanism ofthe tractor, wherein this mechanism will be independent of the powerunit, and to be capable of permitting the tractor to turn in a circle ofminimum radius, whereby said tractor will be capable of turning indesirable short areas to meet the sharp angular corners usuallyencountered in field plowing.

A further object resides in providing improved means for associatingwith the tractor any desirable drawn form of agricultural implement ormachine, and to provide mechanism for adjusting said implement ormachine to assume active or inactive positions in a convenientmechanical manner, whereby said machine or implement may be readilylifted so as tobe easily transported from Iplace to place or may bequickly caused to assume operative or active slot engaging positions;the draft means of a tractorV being so located that pull impartedSpecioation of Letters Batent. Patnted B131'. 22, 1921.

Application led May 2, 1918. Serial No. 231,994r

ther constructed s0 as to facilita-te the starting or turning of atractor in relatively short distances. 7o

With these and other objects in view, as will appear as the descriptionproceeds, .the lnvention acoordingl consists in the novel features ofconstruction, combination of elements and arrangements of partshereinafter described and having the scope thereof defined by theappended claim.

In the drawings, forming a' part of this specification and wherein hasbeen shown the preferred form of the invention:

Figure l is a side elevation of a farm tractor constructed in accordancewith the principles of the invention,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view, the engine and its associated frameconstruction being removed for purposes of clearness,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevation of the tractor,

Fig. 4 is a detail view disclosing more particularly the mechanism forraising, lowering and supporting one ofthe rear driving,r wheels,

Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the tractor,

Fig. 6 is a detail vertical sectiondisclosing the manner of connectingthe two alined y counter shafts,

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view disclosing the mechanism for lockingone of the differential shafts,

-Fig 8 is a detail View disclosing the 100 notched part utilized inretaining the plow in an elevated position.

Similar characters of reference denote like parts throughout the severalviews of the drawings.

Referring more particularly to `the details of the invention, and to themanner of constructing and operating its preferred form, the numeral 1represents my improved tractor in its entirety, and upon reference to110 channel bars 2 and similar connecting cross bars 3, et and 5, whichbars form a substantially rectangular frame. Pivotally connected, inthis instance, with the bar 4 by means of bearings 6 are the rearinclined ends of frame bars"7 and 8, which latter are arranged insuperimposed relation with respect to the frame I) and. terminateforwardly in straight horizontal portions 9, forming an engine base.These forward ends of the bars 7 and 8 are suitably connected and aremounted upon a bolster spring construction 10, which permits the bars tobe resiliently supported and capable of limited rocking movement,whereby the enginell carried by the bars' will not be directly subjectto the jolts and jars 1nstigated b the passage of the tractor over roughan uneven surfaces.

The engine or power plant 11 may be of any desired type orA design, andcapable of utilizing any desired kind of fuel, said engine being formedto include a multiple speed controlling transmfssion 12, which may belocated in, the manner illustrated or in any other suitable position. Afuel tank 13 s carried by the bars 7 and 8 and is connected in theordinary manner with the intake structure not shown of the en- 1ne.gLeading from the transmission casing 12 is a drive shaft 14, whichextends to a dif- 4ferential mechanism 15. located toward the rear ofthe tractor, and from which mechanism there laterally projectsdifferential shafts 16 and 17. The shafts are mounted in fixed bearings18 carried by bars 19 and 20 extending longitudinally and forming a partof the frame b, said bars 19 and 20 1n this instance being situatedbetween the bars 2. The forward endsl of said bars 19 and 20 areangularly bent and extend in converging relation toward the forwardlydisposed `bolster bar 21 of the tractor, which vbar 21 in this instancealso serves as a base for the spring construction 10. As will be clearlyunderstood, any suitable means may be employed for bracing and rigidly,connecting in a substantial and eflicient manner the bar membersdescribed so that the latter will be fully capable of withstanding theVstresses and strains incident to normal operation. A preferred manner ofassembling the bar members has been shown in the drawing, and while thisform has'proven to be uite satisfactory yet it will be understood t atthe same is still subject to further change in structure.

The ends of the shafts 16 and 17 preferably carry fixed sprockets 22over which are trained endless chains 23, the latter being also trainedover enlarged sprockets 2l rigidly carried for rotation by alinedcounter shafts and 26.

These latter shafts are mounted for rotation in fixed bearings 27carried by the hars 2, 19 and 2() and said counter shafts, contiguous tothcI sprockets 21, are also provided with other fixed sprockets 28,capable of rotating in unison with the sprockets 2l, and chains or theirequivalents 29 are trained over the sprockets 28 and also over enlargedsprockets 29, rigidly carried by relatively short axle sections 30. Thelatter sections are suitably mounted in lixed bearings depending fromthe frame 3 and have rotatably connected therewith the main drivingwheels 3l of the tractor.

- From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the speed ofthe engine 11, through the chain and sprocket mechanism disclosed, willbe geared down or reduced to obtain its maximum power elfort at the baseof the wheels 3l, and to convert the relatively high speed of operationof said engine into such low speeds as are commonly utilized and arenecessary for normal working purposes of the tractor, but it will beappreciated, however, that the gearing described may be changed inproportion and arrangement in accordance with the type and power of theengine employed; for instance, if a slow running, heavy duty type ofengine is carried in lieu of the light type of motor shown, which inthis instance is of a well known automobile manufacture, certainnecessary changes must be made in the form of gearing employed, andhence I do not wish to be limited to the precise construction of gearingset forth. Idler sprockets 32 may be employed for maintaining the chains23 in" close engagement with their respective sprockets, so as toeliminate the effects of slack therein, and likewise similar sprockets32:, may be employed for a similar purpose 1n connection with the chains29.

Independent of the form of gearing disclosed, the speed of the tractoris further subject to control through the instrumentality of thetransmission mechanism 12 which latter in the present instance isprovided with control pedals 33, from which extend individual operatingrods 311. These rods project longitudinally of the tractor and terminaterearwardly within the adjacent proximity of the operators seat 85, andsaid rear extremities are connected in any desired manner with pivotedmanually operated levers 36, which are preferably of the toothedsegmental type, whereby through the manipulation of said levers theopera tion of the transmission mechanism may be governed to increase ordecrease at will the operating speeds ofthe tractor` to reverse itsmovement or to stop its operation altogether, in a manner common totransmission mechanisms of well known construction. The seat 35 ispivotally mounted upon the frame and is resiliently supported by meansof a spring 37 to enhance the comfort ofthe operator. y

The bolster bar 21 is provided with a plurality of fixed bearings 38, inwhich are rotatably mounted the upper ends of steering shafts 39. VThelower ends of the shafts are journaled within offset lugs 40 integrallyformed within bearing'arms 41, the latter being securely connected as at42 with the under side of the cross bar 5. These arms 41 are furtherbraced and supported through the medium of diagonally' disposed bracerods 42, which are connected at their upper ends, as shown in Fig. 3,with the bolster bar 21, and at their lower ends with the offsetextremities of the arms 41. The lower .ends of the shafts 39 carry fixedspindles 43 upon which are rotatably mounted the front orsteeringwheels44 of the tractor.

`It will be observed that owing to the manner were mounted on a pivot bydirectly apply- Y ing the power of the engine 11 to one of the maindriving wheels 31, and by rotating the steering wheels 44 to theirfullest extent in the direction of turning movement of the tractor, thispermits the idle driving wheel to serve as a fulcrum and enables thetractor to turn thereabout.

In order to render one of the wheels 31' inoperative or idle, when thetractor is about to be turned sharply, the differential shaft 16 isprovidedin the presentinstance with a fixed disk 45, in the periphery ofthe latter there is formed a plurality of notches 46 and `coperativewith this disk is a pawl 47. The

latter is rigidly carried by a shaft 48, journaled in bearings 49, and amanipulating handle 50 being carried by the shaft 48 to effect therotation of thepawl. Thus it will be manifest thatby rocking the shaft48 in a predetermined direction the up'4 turned end of the pawl 47 willbe forced into engagement with one of the notches 46 of the disk 45,thereby e'ffectually locking the shaft 16 against rotation so as toeffect the transfer y' of engine vpower directly to the other shaft 17.Thus one of the driving wheels to which the shaft 17 Iis geared isrotated when the driving wheel operated by the shaft 16 remains lockedagainst rotation, thereby when the steering wheels are properlypositioned Y a tractor is capable of effecting abrupt turns.

that described.

To effect the rotation of the shafts 39, the latter are provided withfixed pulleys 51, over which are trained cables 52 the latter beingsimilarlywound about a third wheel or drum` 53 carried upon a stud shaft54,

which shaft is journaled in fixed bearings depending from the convergingends of the bars 19 and 20. A turn buckle or the like 55 is adjustablyconnected with the ends of the cable 52 to eliminate slack in the latterand to render thel cable taut or stretched so as to be capable ofrotating the wheels, 'over which it is trained, in unison. The sheavewheel 53 is rotated in athis instance by providing the shaft 54 with agear 56 which gear is situated to mesh with a worm screw 57 carried upontheforward end of a steering shaft 60. The latter is suitably journaledfor rotation and has its yrear extremity' equipped with a' manipulatingwheel 61 located contiguous to the operators seat 35, whereby it will beseen that the steering movements of the tractor are under the convenientcontrol of the operator.

In order to preserve the equilibrium of the tractor andto maintain thefra-me I) in its level working position when the tractor is operatingunder road conditions which vtend to maintain A`one side thereof higherthan the other, so as to unequally distribute its stresses and strains,mechanism has been provided for quickly and conveniently ad- -justingsaid frame to assume a level working position irrespective of theoperating positions-of vits traction wheels. Such 1n clination of `atractor, for example, is frequently established when one of its drivingwheels is traveling in a furrow and the other on unplowed ground whichcondition tends to thrust the way of thetractor to one side and causesconsiderable trouble if operated for any length of time in this positionwith regard to lubrication. The invention therefore contemplates theprovision of mechanism for overcoming the inclination of the frame b andits associated parts, and to cause the same to maintain normal,horizontal positions, hence means have been provided for equallydistributing the operating lstrains and stresses and to further insureproper lubrication of theengine and other similar parts. To this end thesteering shaft 39 located to the right of the tractor is provided withscrew threads along its upper portions, and threaded upon this upperportion of the steering shaft is a nut 62, upon which the pulley 51alrests, said pulley being preferably splined or keyed to the shaft 39.This nut 62 is rotated through the medium of a handle 63 andlit istherefore capable of being moved up and down upon the threaded portionsof a shaft 39, thereby controlling the inclination of that side of thebar 21 which, with the pulley l.a engages by gravity the upper surfaceof the nut 62. In

order to compensate for the inclinationof the bar 21, one of the bracerods 42 lylng adjacent thest'eering shaft is provided with a turn buckle64, whereby the length of the brace rod Vupon which it is mounted iscapable of being adjusted to conform with the angularity of the bar 21.This turn buckle A 64 is also employed to'lock the telescopic screws.67, which have their upper ends threaded into fixed bearings 68 carriedby the said frame bars. The extreme. upper ends of the screws 67 areequipped with sprockets over which is trained an endless chain 69,through the medium of which the screws are capable of being uniformlyrotated. The outer screw 67 is equipped with a wrench receiving-head69a, to which a Suitable tool, not shown, may be applied lto effect therotation of both of the scr'ews 67. From the foregoing it will bemanifest that means have been provided whereby the frame b may bequickly adjusted to assume a desired horizontal position, therebyenabling the tractor to operate under normal conditions irrespective ofthe condition of the'surface over which it is traveling. If

desired adjustment of the wheels described lmay be applied to all fourwheels instead of the two, without departing from the spirit of theinvention, vor the adjustment I, may be operated by power derived fromthe engine instead of by the manual process set forth.

The tractor described may be employed for drawing different types ofagricultural machines or implements, and for purposes of illustrationthe same has been shown as employed in connection with plows.- To effeetthis the beams 7 0 of a twin set of plows are provided with the usualclevis 71, to which is connected an extensible draft bar 72, the upperend of said draft bar being suitabl connected to the converging ends ofthe ars 19 and 20, and hence it will be seen that the pull exercised bythe plow shares 73.will tend .to force the forward end of the tractorinto irm engagement with the soil, and in fact the greater the pull themore closely will the tractor adhere to the ground or road bed, as willbe clearly understood. To retain the, plow in elevated position so as tobe capable of being conveniently transported, there is connected by thebeams thereof a cable 74, which is trained over a pulley and leads to adrum 76 keyed to the counter shaft 25. The other end of the cable 74 isconnected with a pivoted foot lever 76, which is arranged adjacent tothe drivers seat By depressing the lever76, the cable 74 will be tightlydrawn about the pulley or drum 75, so that the rotation of said drumwill result in winding the cable 74 thereabout so as to draw the beams70 upwardly. The beams are retained in this upwardly drawn position byproviding the same with a vertically disposed bar 7 7, on the face ofwhich being provided with ratchet teeth 78, which teeth are pressed bymeans of the spring 79 into engagement with a'heel formed upon a rigidlymounted bracket 80. Hence through the medium of the bar 77 the plowstructure will be retained in its elevated position by the engagement ofthe teeth 78 with the bracket 80 and will thus remain supported untilthe .bar 77 is released from engagement with said bracket, whence theplow structure will fall by gravity into its lower active position. Theforward end of the plow structure is also capable of being adjustedthrough the medium of a bell crank lever 81, which is pivoted as at 82to the frame Z). The short arm of this lever 81 is connected by means ofa link 83 withfthe clevis construction 71 of the plow structure, and thelong arm of a bell crank is connected with a longitudinally extendinglink 84 which extends rearwardly and is provided with an operatinghandle. By reciprocating this link 84 the bell crank lever will beoscillated so as to effect the raising or lowering of the forward end ofthe plow structure. Notches or an equivalent structure 85 are formed inthe rear end of the link 84 and is situated to engage with a rigidlysupi ported bracket 86, whereby the bell crank may be retained in alocked position and the elevated or lowered positions of the forward endof the plow structure may be maintained.

Normally, the counter shafts 25 and 26 are independently rotatable` butin certain instances it is desirable that the shafts should rotatetogether, as for instance if one of the driving wheels should strike asoit spot in a road bed the same would be liable to slip thustransferring power to one side of the machine, and to overcome thistendency and to equally distribute the power to both of the drivingwheels, use is made of the clutch construction 87. This construction inits preferred form consists of a slidofrot'ation.

ing member keyed to the Sii-aft 2e, which is. capable of engaging withascoperative clutch base 88 provided upon one side of the drum 7 5. Themovement of the clutchv 487 is controlled by means of a pivoted lever 90which extends rearwardly of the machine and terminatesadjacent to theseat 35. By

oscillating this lever 90, the clutch construc- -tion will .be shiftedto interlock the counter shafts and 26, so that the synchronousl ro`tation ofthe latter will be insured as longas one. of the differentialshafts is iny a state From the 'foregoingdescription taken in connectionwith t e accompanying drawings it will be seen that thereis provided atractor wherein the objects of the invention have been achieved and thatall of the advanta geous features of control, adjustment and operationabove mentioned, are, among others present. The tractor is relativelysimple in construction when its results are taken into consideration andmay be conveniently operated by a single driver, as 4the controllers ofthe machine are all located in convenient vreach of the seat 35. Theframe b is of such height and the wheels thereof are so separated thatplenty of'clearancel will be'afforded to permltthe'tractorto operateover owing plants and in between rows of the atter without dan er ofmutilating or destroying said plants, ence the machine is somewhathigher than many tractors of common convhas-beenound byfactualvtests I yvery satisfactory service. It will befurtherstruction!V While a Wellknown type of automobile engine hasbeen illustratedasffurnishingpower tothe tractor it is obvious that 'anyfother formofrengine maybesubstituted inlieu thereof, blfittheiengine s appreciated that acultivator or the like may be connected with the tractor in lace of theY of said engine for imparting controlled ro.-4

tary motion to said differential shafts, a

pair `of counterl shafts supported by said main frame parallel to 4saiddifferential shafts, a pair of driving wheels, and chain and sprocketmechanism connecting said counter shafts with said driving wheels.

In testimon whereofl affix my signature m presence o two wltnesses.

i JOSEPH `W. FREEMAN. Witnesses: i

JOHN MoRRlsnY,

y E. T; Fox.

